


Life is What Happens

by Sokorra



Series: The "Things We Could Be" Universe [2]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 15:23:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1309705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sokorra/pseuds/Sokorra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donna and Josh find out that their life is going have yet another transition far sooner then planned.  Sequel to "Things We Could Be"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life is What Happens

**Author's Note:**

> The title of this story comes from the John Lennon Song “Beautiful Boy” which he wrote about his son Sean. The full lyric is “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans”

Donna was a little irritated that it was Sam of all people to figure out the possibility first.  After all, Sam had no familiarity with her body or how she acted, so it really should have been her, or maybe Josh though then again Josh wouldn’t be that observant.

No, apparently Donna was to figure she might be pregnant because of Sam Seaborn’s absent minded comment that her recent behavior reminded him of his assistant when she was in her early stages of pregnancy.  Donna had rolled her eyes at the time but now a few hours later, it came back to along with the realization that she might in fact be pregnant.

One week into her new marriage and she might already be pregnant. Someone upstairs was having a laugh at her expense.

She knew there had always been the possibility.  She had an appointment in a few days to get back on birth control, so for the last month and a half that she was actively having sex she had relied on only one form of birth control, and honestly with a 98% effectiveness and her level of luck she should have seen this coming.

She debated whether or not to tell Josh.  On the one hand, if she was pregnant he’d wonder why she didn’t tell him already.  On the other hand, if Sam’s words had just been an awkward comparison, he would probably be better off not knowing.

She remembered their conversation in Hawai’i, where they decided that they would bring the issue back up in a year or two, maybe around midterms.  They had wanted to get used to being a couple, to their new jobs, and get a head start on that before adding kids to the mix.

Except it looked like their timing was off.  Again.  She took a deep breath trying to calm down.  It didn’t have to be a big deal.  Okay, having a child was a huge deal, but it didn’t have to be bad. If her gut instinct was correct, the maybe-baby would be born in late July, early August.  By then the President would be well into his first year of Presidency. Past the first 100 days. And it would be before the midterm elections got into full swing so it was a good period to take maternity leave for a month or two.

First step however was to make sure she wasn’t worrying over something stupid.  It could be stress, maybe of the same symptoms were involved.  And transition and getting used to sharing a life with Josh had had no ties to their professions was definitely a stressor.  The latter being of the better variety, but still something to get used to. Thankfully she was able to get a couple tests (to double check the results) without anyone noticing.

Which led her being stuck in CJ’s bathroom during her lunch hour testing her pee.  She wrinkled her nose. Maybe they should send research money to people to perfect a pregnancy test that didn’t involve a pee test. She nearly jumped when the timer on her phone went off, telling her the first test was done.  The other two took slightly longer.

She looked at the stick, blinked and sat back down on the closed toilet.

She really had sucky luck.

* * *

 

As Ronna ran past him, telling him that Donna had scheduled an appointment for the end of the day, Josh wondered if perhaps he should be quicker in putting out a request for an assistant.  He had half a mind to ask Margaret to stay another term.  Either way, Ronna working as an assistant for both Santos and his Chief of Staff wasn’t going to work...it really didn’t work now.

Why would Donna need an appointment.  He froze in the doorway of his office. The last time she had scheduled an appointment with him, baring interviews, was when she wanted to quit.

He hadn’t screwed up his marriage in only a week and a half had he?

He moved into his office, closing the door behind him.  The work day was almost over, and with Barry Goodwin still running some of the outlying transition issues, he didn’t have anything that couldn’t wait till the morning.   

Having Sam around had done a lot of good.  Sam had finally helped him figure out who to delegate things to, and micromanaging.

When had he become a micromanager?  When had he stopped trusting the people who worked for him?  

Donna’s appointment was in ten minutes, so he sat in his office, trying to figure out the answer to that question and to what Donna wanted to talk about.

He understood some of his micromanaging problems arose from still feeling lost without Donna holding the other end of the scale.  She kept him even-keeled and he got used to that...perhaps too used to it.  And being pushed into a campaign with people he hardly knew was a struggle.  He wondered if this was what President Bartlet felt like when Leo fired the old team and brought in a new team.

He trusted Ronna, Bram, Eddie and Otto now.  It was better than before.  And now that they were shuffling into their White House roles, it was getting easier to see how he could rely on each of them for what needed to be done.  He wasn’t sure he trusted Lou, but he thought it was more they had a healthy respect and annoyance with each other.  Trust would come in time.

“Hey.”  Josh looked up to see Donna standing in his doorway.  “Ronna zoomed by and told me to just go in.”  she looked better than she had that morning.  More color to her face.  She hadn’t been feeling well the last couple of days. Maybe the adjustment to being back in DC was finally letting up on her.

“I really need to get my own assistant.”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t need an appointment.”

“Josh..”

"You don’t.  You’re my wife, and the COS of the First Lady.  You can come see me anytime you like, Donna.”

“I know.  But for this I wanted to get you before the end of the day but not before any important meetings.”

“Well, at least you didn’t bring me coffee.”

“Coffee?  Oh.  No, its not that kind of appointment Josh.  Just...something I need to talk to you about.”

“You are making me nervous.”

“You know how in Hawai’i we discussed moving, and perhaps planning...expansion.”  Josh looked at her like he wasn’t sure he wanted to know where this was going.”

“Yes....”

“We might have to adjust the plan slightly.”

“Adjust the plan.  The plan we haven’t even made yet.”

“Yes.”

“Adjust it how?”

“Move up the timetable a bit.”

“Donna, you are 32.”

“Not because of that,”  Donna said rolling her eyes. “Have you ever known me to worry about that?”

“No, but there is a first time for everything, and this conversation is going down a path we never really went before.”

“I’m trying to tell you it might not be an option anymore.”  She blinked as Josh’s look became concerned.  “The timing bit.”

“Donna, you are going to have to use full sentences here.  What are you talking about.”

“I’m pregnant.”  

“Okay.”

“So you understand what I am telling you.”  Josh had his stunned look, which usually led to Josh not hearing a word she was saying.

“Wait...how...I mean I know _how_ ,”  Josh stated, his expression settling into confusion. “But we always were careful about the birth control.” Realistically, Donna had been careful. A few of the times he was really past the point of actually thinking about it, but she made sure.  Because they hadn’t thought they were ready for this particular development.

He really really wasn’t.

“Except in Houston.  The first time.”  

“Right. So..we really hit all the relationship changers in one full sweep, didn’t we.”  He rubbed his face.  He wasn’t sure what his reaction was.”

“Well, to be honest we can’t be that sure, condoms after all have a small failure rate, but I think so.”

“When..”

“At lunch.”  She wasn’t looking at him, which is fine because he had moved to sit beside her on the couch, and they were both staring at the desk.  “I took three tests just to be sure, and it was pretty clear on what the result was.”

“Okay.” He held out his hand and took hers.  So it was new, and it was big, and they would have to deal with it in some manner.  “Are you okay?”  He turned to look at her.

“I think so,” she said finally looking at him.  “You?”

“A bit surprised, but I think so too.”

“Surprise is an understatement.”  Donna said squeezing his hand.

* * *

 

Josh told Donna that he had a meeting to go to later that night, but he’d be home by 9.  He didn’t, well, he hadn’t.  But there was one person he had to speak with.  One of the people who would be able to help him.

Even though he was sure there was going to be mocking.  

“Josh?”  Toby stated when he opened the door, clearly surprised to see his friend.  “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to ask you something.”

“Okay,” Toby said, noticing the serious expression on Josh’s face.  He moved over so allow his friend into the room.  “Beer?”

“Sure.”  Josh waited in the living room, looking at the photographs of the twins that covered the wall.  He smiled as he remembered how enthralled with his children Toby was. Toby was not a big emote-er, but he was always happy to talk about how his kids were doing.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks,”  Josh took the bottle and took a sip of it, looking at the photos.  “How are they?”

“Alright. Andi tries to bring them over as often as she can. She’s a bit upset with me.”

“I imagine so,” Josh said turning to him.  “When they were born...were you scared?”

“Of being a father?”

“Yeah.”

“Terrified.”  They were both facing the pictures rather than each other, reminding Josh weirdly of earlier in his office.  “Why?”

“Donna’s pregnant.”

“You two didn’t waste any time did you?”

“It wasn’t exactly planned.”

“What idiot thing did you do?”  Toby stated, turning to him.

“Nothing...I don’t think I did anyway.  We just found out today and I’m just...”

“Not sure what to feel about it?”  The two of them made their way into the living room.

“Yeah.  I mean we had talked about it...briefly, and in about two sentences when talking about moving into a new place together.  But it was something in the future.  Something I could work my way into being prepared for.”

“Josh, no one is prepared to be a parent, no matter how many parental help books they read, or how much they planned before hand.  The only ones who are prepared are those who already have kids.”  He  sat down on the couch while Josh took a chair, both putting their feet up on the battered coffee table.

“I think Donna would be a great mother.”

“Of course she would, she raised you,”  Toby joked. “But you are worried about yourself?”

“I like kids...but I’m worried about the timing.  I’m not oblivious to fact that I tend to be a workaholic.  I don’t want my kids to never see me.”

“Then don’t let your job take over your life completely.”  Toby stated.  He tilted his head.  He had known Josh for nearly a decade now.  Ever since that night in Nashua where Leo had introduced them after forcing Josh to come up and listen to Jed Bartlet speak.  He had become like a younger brother to Toby in the meantime.   They had so many moments that Toby didn’t think he’d ever forget.  Finding Josh bleeding on the pavement in Virginia, telling Donna that Josh had been shot, Seeing Josh after he learned about MS, the snowball fight for Donna, the day he had to tell Josh that Donna was in the car that blew up.

They had been through so much together, which was why it had hurt when Josh had left. That combined with his brother had made him make decisions that were not in his character, not usually.  It had nearly broke their relationship.

But somehow, his ‘baby brother’ was still coming over to ask for advice over beer.

“You’ll be a great father, Josh.”

“You really think so?”

“Yeah, I do.”

* * *

 

July 22nd.  That was when they estimated the baby to due.  Donna walked back to the office from her appointment a little stunned.  They had assumed it had been election day, but there was no way to doubt it now.  If it had been Hawaii, they wouldn’t have been able to tell yet, if it had been that night at Josh’s,  the due date would have been sometime in August.

So Election Day had gone Four-for-Four for big life changes.  She and Josh had moved their relationship clearly out of the platonic range,  Leo had died, they had gotten another man elected president and now apparently they had also started their family.

It was funny, but they were still within the month time Donna had estimated that they needed to talk over where they were taking things.  Well within the month.  So many things had been decided and she felt dizzy.

Well, that might be a general pregnancy symptom, but she felt like everything was changing so fast.

She was a little surprised however to see Josh standing in her office when she got back

“How did it go,” he said, lowering the document he had been reading on her couch.

“Well, a fourth confirmation seals it.  Baby Moss-Lyman comes in July.”

“Do they know if its a boy or girl yet?”

“No.  I’m only 8 weeks pregnant, Josh.”

“Wait, eight weeks...”

“They add two weeks at the beginning to include the cycle.”

“Oh.”  Josh decided that he was going to change the subject and get away from medical talk.  “So when would they be able to tell?”

“Four or five months.  Probably sometime in February.”  She tilted her head.  “Got a preference.”

“Actually, no.”  Josh stated, telling the truth.  “You?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure.”  She walked over and tossed her purse onto her desk and flopped down on the couch beside Josh, settling into him and resting her head on his shoulder.  “I had names picked out for boys for years and I had one for a girl.”

“You picked out the names of our kids years ago?”  Josh asked, amused.  

“Well, not necessarily our children, although given the ones I choose its probably better that this one is.”

“What were the names?”

“For boys - Josiah Thomas and Samuel Tobias.  The later mostly to tease Sam & Toby about.”

“We aren’t naming our kid after Sam or Toby,”  Josh stated, but smiling.  “But go ahead and write that on the short list and see what they say.”  He paused.  “I like Josiah Thomas though...named after two amazing men who affected both our lives.”

“I thought you might want to name your son after your father,”  Donna said, looking at him. He simply shrugged.

“I never really thought about it.  I guess naming my son Noah wouldn’t be a bad thing.  It can go on the list if you want.”

“Alright.  And the girl’s name was Elizabeth.”

“After Liz?”

“No, after Jane Austen.” She paused.  “How about Elizabeth Joane if its a girl?”  He looked at her, clearly surprised at the idea.  She wondered why, since she suggested that they name their son after his father.

“Sounds great...but how come none of these names come from your family.”

“You know why.”

“I don’t know.  Evangelina wasn’t a bad name, and neither was Donnatella.”

“I’m not having a junior.”

“That’s too bad.  If we have a daughter, i’d want her to be just like you.”  Donna smiled at the sweetness of his comment.

“And if its a boy?”

“He could be like you too.”

“And what if he decides to go into Trivia game show hosting.”

“Then I’m going to have every episode of a trivia show on DVD.”  Josh grinned.  “Do you think it would matter to me what our kids wanted to be when they grew up.  Geez, Donna, the kid’s not even finished gestating yet, he doesn’t need to pick a career,”  She smacked his arm and his ow was made ineffective by the laughter surrounding the words.

“Honestly, I don’t care. I wouldn’t mind if they followed us into politics, or if they decide to go and be a house painter.  Well, mostly I wouldn’t mind.  Just as long as they don’t register as Republicans.”

“I think Sam has to worry about that more.”  Donna said with a grin, referencing the fact that Sam’s fiancee they had all been surprised to find out about was in fact Ainsley Hayes.

“You know he tried to throw me off by telling me she’d have to retake her bar exam.”

“She doesn’t...she never took the California one anyway.”

“I know. Sam was just pointing out that I was asking him to be his deputy and I hadn’t asked him anything about his fiancee, or really anything about his life in a while.”

“Things will get better between you two.  Look at us, and our low point was quite a bit lower.”

“Well, I think people would frown upon me being married twice.  Not that Sam is not a good wife, but I think I’d rather just keep to the one.”

“Oh, hush, you.”  She said, closing her eyes and just relaxing, enjoying the comforting worth of him beside her.  She still had an hour before she had to meet with the first Lady.

“Are we going to tell anyone?”  he asked softly a few minutes later.

“Well, I figure we should probably call our parents this weekend, but otherwise we probably should wait a few weeks.”

“Why?”  

“Because its during the first three months most problems arise...most women wait till 12-15 weeks to tell anyone.”  Josh’s arm tightened around her.  “And it nicely times up with the Inaugural.”  He raised an eyebrow. “We can tell everyone and it wouldn’t be a story.”

“I hate making decisions like that.”

“Such is our lot as being the second couple.”

“You read that too?”

“Danny has a way with words.  Plus CJ laminated a copy for us to have.”

“So January 20th we tell everyone?.

“Yes, we’ll tell everyone.”

* * *

 

 

_Friday January 20, 2006 - Air Force One._

 

Jed Bartlet put down the frame, missing his dear friend grately.  He rewrapped it nad placed it in his bag, and turned his attention to his wife who was reading the card Josh had handed them before the ceremony.

“What’s it say?” he finally asked when he noticed her grin grow.

“Josh and Donna are having a baby.”

“They didn’t wait very long, did they.”

“They waited plenty, Jethro.”

“You know what I meant.”

“Its due at the end of July.  They sent a copy of their latest ultrasound, knowing I’d want to see it.”

Jed smiled as his wife handed him the picture. Honestly, he never could understand these pictures half the time.  His daughter had shown him one recently and he couldn’t tell what was what.  This one was no exception.

He smiled. _Don’t worry._  He directed his thoughts to Leo and Noah. _We’ll watch over the grandkids_.  

“So do you think we have a grandson or a granddaughter?  he asked his wife.

“Its too early to tell.”  She seemed to not have hesitated at all in the accepting of the Moss-Lyman progeny as their grandchild.  But then Abbey had understood like no one else how much his team had become his children, Josh especially.  “Does it really matter?”  Abbey then smiled a mischievous smile.  “Think Josh would mind if I got the baby a bunch of elephant stuff?”

 


End file.
